Sealing device.



H. L. DOHERTY.

SEALING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED 13110.27, 1909.

1,098,486, Patented June 2, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

' A Henry LDaherU. 8WW/V1m /i/ H. 'L. DOHERTY.

SEALING DEVICE.

APPLIUATION FILED 1120.27, 1909.

1,098,486, Patented June 2, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lww Henr Lnnherty, 1QZZLSGMWWM1 HENRY L. DOHERTY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SEALING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 2, 1914.

Application filed December 27, 1909. Serial No. 535,038.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY L. Doi-IEn'rY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Sealing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a sealing device for gas benches.

The object of my invention is to provide a seal of such a character that during the making of gas the retorts are in free and unobstructed communication with the hydraulic main, while any retort may be entirely cut off from communication with the hydraulic main when that retort is opened for charging, drawing, or for scurfing, and which sealing device is adapted for quick and certain manipulation, and also to provide a hydraulic main and seal of a novel construction which permits of ready and easy cleaning.

To this end I have invented the hereinafter-described device which, briefly, consists, firstly, of a two-piece hydraulic main, made up of sheets oi metal bent to an open curve on different radii, the larger forming a trough for the reception of the condensation from the gas and the other being set inverted in such trough with its edges immersed in the liquor in the trough so that the inclosed portion above the liquor forms a gas conduit, said conduit having connection through short connecting pipes with the gas space of each individual seal box; secondly, of an individual seal box for each stand-pipe, said seal consisting briefly of an open top box of suitable depth with an open bottomed box or hell attached to a lever arm, and capable of vertical movement within said first mentioned box, the said movable box having a transverse vertical partition dividing it when in its lowest position into two compartments in one of which terminates the upper end of the standpipe, and in the other the upper end of the connection with the hydraulic main, the said partition being of such a depth that when the said box is in its highest normal position there is a suiiicient opening left between the bottom of the partition and the sealing liquid to permit of the free and unobstructed flow of gas from the stand-pipe to the pipe establishing communication with the hydraulic main, and certain other features which are fully described below.

In the accompanying drawings of my in vention, Figure 1 is a top view of a section of my invention showing three seal-boxes with their operating levers, etc. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line A B of Fig. 3 showing the seal box in the position it normally occupies while gas is being made in the retort. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section through my hydraulic main and a seal box on, say, the line C l) of Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through a seal-box, also, on the line A B but showing the movable box or hell in its lowest position and with communication between the hydraulic main and its stand-pipe shut off. Fig. 5 is a partial front elevation of my invention, while Fig. 6 is a. vertical horizontal section through a portion of the hydraulic main and the corresponding seal boxes. Fig. 7 is a part vertical longitudinal section through one end of the hydraulic main showing the liquor oil-take.

1, is the gas conducting portion of my hydraulic main while 2 refers to the trough or liquid conducting portion of the same. The part 1 is made up, preferably, of sheets punched at suitable intervals on their medial line with slightly elliptical holes, 8. These sheets are then bent on a mandrel to the proper curve and joined together endwise preferably by a riveted joint, the Whole forming in ell'ect a pipe with a wide horizontal slot, 4, out out of it. The part 2 is made up of similar sheets, unperforated. As shown the part 2 is, preferably, bent to a considerably larger radius than 1 and has only about 120 degrees of curvature while the part, 1, may have, say, 270 degrees of curvature. It is, of course, obvious that I am not limited to the use of the curvatures specified. Spiders, 5, having their upper frames curved to correspond with the curvature of 1, maintain the part 1 in a fixed position in the trough 2. As shown these spiders are bolted to the part 1 by bolts, 6, before the latter is inverted in the trough 2, although they may, it preferred, be supported by or fastened to the trough 2.

In assembling the apparatus, the trough 2, is first placed in position, resting in the cradles 29, 29, etc, which are, in turn, supported by the walls of the gas benches themselves.

30 represents the partial outline of the top of a bench.

It is not necessary, in my invention, to have the hydraulic main (2) set on a perfoot level such as is the case with the present devices of that sort. This constitutes one of the greatest advantages of my construction since it greatly cheapens the cost of erection as well as obviates, altogether, the frequent readjustment of level necessary with the present type of structures. This is due to the fact that instead of having my seal in the hydraulic main itself T maintain it in a separate vessel. The hydraulic main, in my invention, acting, simply, as a receptacle for the liquids condensed from the gas. A considerable change in level of the maindue to unequal expansion of the walls of the gas benches for instancedoes not in my invention affect the seal in the slightest degree.

The part 2, being placed in position, the part 1 with the spiders 5 attached is set in the trough 2, and the flanges 7 bolted in place on the holes 3. As shown, the lower or fixed boxes, 8, 8, 8, etc, of the seals 9, 9", 9, etc, are formed by introducing vertical partitions, 10, 10', etc, in the single box 11, at suitable intervals. If preferred, these boxes 8, 8", 8", etc, may be individual boxes for each seal, and such change would not constitute any departure from my invention.

As shown, each of the compartments, 8, 8", 8, etc, has an opening (12, etc.) in its bottom to which is attached the inter nally threaded flange 13. Short pipes, 14, etc, are scr wed through these flanges so that their inner extremities are at the level in the box (8, 8, etc.) at which it is desired to carry the seal. Another set of pipes, 15, 15, 15, etc, are, similarly, fastened into the seal boxes 8, 8, etc, in such a position that they will communicate, respectively, with the compartments 16, 16, 16, etc, of the various movable bells 17, 17", etc. These pipes 15, 15, 15, etc, are inserted farther into the boxes 8, etc, than the pipes 14, etc. This is so that under no circumstances can the liquid of the seal overflow down 15, etc, into the retorts. The pipes 141, etc, and 15, etc, having been placed in position the seal boxes 8, 8, etc, are placed in position so that the pipes 14, etc, join the flanges 7 while the pipes 15, etc, oin with the stand-pipes 18, 18', etc.

The movable sealing bells 17, 17, etc, are simply open-bottomed aoxes with transverse vertical partitions 19, 19", etc, having yolres 20 fastened at the center of their respective tops. Brackets 21', 21, etc, terininating in slotted yoke bearings 22, 22, etc, are attached to the fixed boxes 8, 8, etc, or to any other suitable support. The operating levers 23, 23", 23, etc, of the several bells 17, 17, 17", etc, are i'ulcrumed in the yoke bearings 22, 22", etc, the fixed pins 24: 24 etc, of levers 23, 23, etc, bearing in the open bearings formed by slots 25, etc, in yokes 22, etc, and have their one end attached to yokes 20, etc, by the pin 26, etc, while their outer ends carry the operating wires (or rods) 27, 27, etc, respectively. Counter-- weights, 28 28, etc, are borne by the levers 23, 23", etc, the weights being adjusted so that when the operating wires 27', etc, are released the boxes 17, etc, will drop. These counterweights 28, etc, are not an essential part of my invention and may be omitted, if preferred. of light removable plates 31, are laid over the part of trough 2 which is not covered by the part 1. The function or" these is simply to prevent the free circulation and escape of the gases evolved from the body of condensed liquor, 32, in main 2. The ends of both parts 2 and 1 are, of course, closed and suitable connections made to the tar well and foul mains respectively. The method of operating my invention is as follows:The apparatus having been assembled, suflieient water or other liquid is pumped into 2 to seal the opening a in 1, and suflicient liquid is also placed in the seal boxes 8, 8, 8', etc, to seal the respective compartments 16, etc, and 33, etc, when the bell 17 is in its lowest position. The retorts of the gas benches are now charged the fires, of course, having been previously started and the benches brought up to the proper heatand'the bells 17, etc, raised by the operator on the charging floor, by hauling down and fastening the wires or rods 27, etc. The gas evolved from the charges in the reto-rts ascends through the stand-pipes 18, 18", etc, into the respective compartments 16, 16, tc, passes under the respective partitions 19, etc, into compartments 33, 33, etc, down through the corresponding connections 14: 1%, etc, into the gas conduit 1 of the hydraulic main, from which it passes, under the influence of the exhauster through the pipe 34, to the foul mainand the usual condensing and purifying apparatus. The tarry liquid which condenses from the gas collects in the seal boxes 3, 8, etc, and finally overflows through the connections 14, 1%, etc, into the part 2 of the hydraulic main, from which it passes through a suitable overflow, 35, at one end, to the tar well or other reservoir. When the charges in any set of re torts are fully carbonized and the retorts are about to be opened for the purpose of A. number.

intense drawing, the operating wires, 27, of such retorts are released, when the corresponding bells 17 drop, shutting off communication between the retorts and the hydraulic main. When the retorts have been charged the wires 27 are again hauled down and fastened, again putting the retorts in free and unobstructed communication with the hydraulic main.

In order to clean the connections 14:, it is only necessary to lift the corresponding bells 17 out of the seal boxes, 8, 8", etc, and insert the cleaning tool in the pipes 14:. Since it is the practice to carry practically atmospheric pressure in the hydraulic main, this momentary exposure of the inlet end of 14 to the atmosphere will not result in any serious influx of air to the main. Should it be desired to clean the stand-pipes 18 from the top, also, by simply placing a suitable loose cap over the end of the corresponding hydraulic main connection 14 this pipe is completely sea-led. l/Vhen the pipes have been cleaned the cap is removed and bell 17 is replaced when the seal is again in operative condition. To clean an obstruction from the hydraulic main it is only necessary to remove one of the covers 81 at the proper place and insert a suitable scraper, by means of which the obstructing material may be scraped out of the main.

It is to be noted that the method by which I support the gas main 1, leaves the lower portion of 2 free and unobstructed.

It is obvious that I may, if I prefer, make the hydraulic main, 2, in the shape of a straight sided trough instead of giving it a curved section as shown, and that I may materially modify many parts of my invention without changing the mode of operation or the results which I secure. For instance, the two mains 1 and 2 may be cast instead of being made from sheet metal.

While I have only shown the design of apparatus which I deem preferable, it is clear that I may, if I prefer, increase the size of my individual seal boxes and an range them so that one box will include all the stand-pipes of a single bench, so that the whole set of retorts may be sealed or put in communication with the hydraulic main at the same time; or, I may so arrange the device that one-half or any number of the stand-pipes may enter a single seal box. Such a modification would necessitate merely a simple alteration in the design of apparatus which I herein show which could be made by anyone skilled in the art.

The hydraulic main herein shown and described I reserve the right to claim in a separate application.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. A. sealing device for a gas retort which comprises, in combination, a stand-pipe for conducting gas away from said retort, said stand pipe being substantially-free from obstructive bends, a hydraulic main connection detached from but adapted to cooperate with said stand-pipe, and a. seal-box inclos ing the upper extremities of said stand-pipe and said connection, whereby said standpipe is left free for the insertion of cleaning tools, said seal-box comprising an open-top vessel mounted on the said stand-pipe and said connection, a verticallyanovable openbottom vessel telescoping within said opentop vessel and inclosing the upper extremi ties of said stand-pipe and said connection, and a vertical partition in said open-bottom vessel between the extremities of said standpipe and said connection, said partition be ing adapted to be scaled by a liquid contained in said open-top vessel when the former is depressed, and means for opti0nally depressing or lifting said open-bottom vessel.

2. A sealing device for a gas retort which comprises, in combination, a stand-pipe for conducting gas away from said retort, said stand pipe being substantially free from obstructive bends, a hydraulic main connect-ion detached from but adapted to coiiperate with said stand-pipe, and a seal-box inclosing the upper extremities of said stand-pipe and said connection, whereby said stand-pipe is left free for the insertion of cleaning tools, the upper extremity of said connection be ing 011 a substantially lower level than the upper extremity of said stand-pipe, whereby passage is provided for the flow of condensed. liquid from said seal-box to said by draulic main, the said seal-box comprising an open-top vessel mounted on the said stand-pipe and said connection, a vertically movable openbottom vessel telescoping within said open-top vessel and inclosing the upper extremities of said stand-pipe and said connection, and a vertical partition in said open-bottom vessel between the ex tremities of said stand-pipe and said connection, said. partition being adapted to be sealed by a liquid contained in said opentop vessel when the former vessel is depressed, and means for optionally depressing or lifting said open-bottom vessel.

3. Means for sealing a gas retort comprising, in combination, a gas conduit conducting gas away from said retort, said conduit being substantially free from obstructive bends, a sealing device mounted upon and inclosing the upper termination of said gas conduit, whereby said conduit is left free for the insertion of cleaning tools, and a conduit connecting said sealing device with a hydraulic main, the upper termination of said last named conduit being also inclosed by said sealing device but terminating at a level substantially lower than the upper termination of said gas conduit, whereby passage is provided for liquid and gas from said Signed at New York city in the county sealing device to said hydraulic main and of New York and State of New York this the flow of liquid to said retort prevented, 23rd day of December A. D. 1909.

said sealing device being adapted to option- HENRY L. DOHERTY. 5 ally establish or shut oil communication Witnesses:

between the said first and second of said lV. J. QUENTIN,

conduits. W. G. BERRYMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of I'atents, Washington, D. 0. 

